This invention relates in general to reciprocating drive mechanisms for cutting machines and deals more particularly with an improved balanced reciprocating cutter drive mechanism of a crank type which has a rotary input and a reciprocating output.
The improved drive mechanism of the present invention is particularly adapted to operate with minimal vibration for reduced wear to prolong machine life and should find many uses. However, it is particularly well suited for driving the knife or blade of an apparatus for cutting pattern pieces from lay-ups of sheet material, and more specifically, a heavy duty, high speed, automatically controlled cutting machines of the aforedescribed type. Such cutting machines are manufactured and marketed by Gerber Garment Technology, Inc., Vernon, Conn., assignee of the present invention and may be provided with KNIFE INTELLIGENCE; a system which senses a cutting parameter affected by interaction of the cutting blade and the sheet material and provides feedback signals to alter the cutting path of the blade, as necessary, to compensate for any detected deviation from the predetermined cutting parameter. In a machine having such a sensing and control system, it is essential that the cutting blade operate smoothly and without excessive vibration, since vibration of the drive mechanism and the associated cutting blade can result in the generation of false signals by the KNIFE INTELLIGENCE system which adversely affect the cutting precision of the machine.
The present invention is concerned with the aforementioned problems.